Hume Highway Truck Fire
Hume Highway Southbound Lanes Closed After Tenth Truck Fire in Two Months
Anonymous
Key Points
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In late June, a collision between two trucks at a Breadalbane rest area, southwest of Goulburn, triggered a fire that destroyed six semi-trailers and caused multiple explosions. Police described the absence of serious injuries as a “miracle,” and a 28-year-old driver was later charged with negligent driving.
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On July 17 near Breadalbane, a man was killed when his B-double collided with a road train carrying aerosols; both vehicles were destroyed by fire.
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About a week before the latest incident, a 34-year-old truck driver suffered serious burns after his vehicle veered into scrub near Berrima and started a fire.
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Police said the latest fire began while the driver was inspecting the prime mover after the vehicle experienced a mechanical issue; attempts to put out the blaze with the onboard extinguisher were unsuccessful before it spread through the entire vehicle combination.
A truck carrying compressed recycled cardboard caught fire on the Hume Highway south of Sydney on Monday evening, marking the tenth major truck incident in just over two months along a 150-kilometre stretch of the road. Big Rigs reported that the driver escaped unharmed after noticing flames from a mechanical problem and attempting to extinguish them before abandoning the burning B-double near Manton, north of Yass. Southbound traffic was diverted via Yass Valley Way and the Barton Highway while crews removed the wreckage.
A Dangerous Stretch of Highway Claiming Trucks
The Hume Highway between Sydney and Canberra has become a graveyard for heavy vehicles. In late June, two trucks collided at a Breadalbane rest area, destroying six semi-trailers and triggering multiple explosions. Police called the lack of serious injuries a "miracle." On July 17, another B-double hit a road train carrying aerosols near Breadalbane—both vehicles burned completely and one driver was killed.
About a week before Monday's fire, a 34-year-old truck driver suffered serious burns when his vehicle veered into scrub near Berrima and caught fire. The pattern is alarming: ten truck fires or crashes in just 66 days on one highway corridor.
Mechanical Failure Likely Cause of Latest Fire
Police said preliminary findings point to mechanical failure with no suspicious circumstances. The driver noticed flames while inspecting the prime mover after experiencing a mechanical issue. He attempted to use the truck's onboard fire extinguisher but was unable to stop the blaze from spreading through the entire vehicle combination.
Traffic Disruptions Continue on Major Route
The closure of southbound lanes between Sydney and Canberra forced authorities to redirect traffic onto alternate routes. Drivers were diverted via Yass Valley Way and the Barton Highway while emergency crews worked to remove the burned-out truck and trailers from the highway. The incident added to growing frustration over the safety record of this critical transport corridor.
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